Ann Arbor tech company moving its operations to Main Street in hopes of expansion

Olark, a company with offices in both San Francisco and Ann Arbor, is relocating its local headquarters from South Fifth Street to Main Street near downtown Ann Arbor.

Olark will relocate its Ann Arbor office to North Main Street.Courtesy photo

The company – which allows online business owners the opportunity to interact online with its customers using real time chats – said the move will facilitate future growth and allow the company a better environment to serve its customer base.

“Our company is continuing to grow. Our current space is about 1,000 square feet and with the new space, we were looking for something a bit larger,” said Zach Steindler, one of the founders of Olark.

“Having an office that gives us a main unit and a bunch of side offices for conference calls was a huge plus.”

The company signed a two-year lease for the second-floor office at 205 N. Main St. The office is the former home of Clean Water Action and current home of Workforce. Edible Arrangements was located on the first floor before it relocated to a Washtenaw Avenue store, and retailer Legion -- a men's fashion boutique -- has since replaced it.

“More and more people are learning businesses online. If you’re a small business owner…the transition to online can be jarring. By putting Olark livechat onsite you can have a more human experience. You can have a better relationship, which can lead to more sales and support,” Steindler said.